Three is One Too Many
by ShootinSta
Summary: Sequel to Mutiny Aboard the Enterprise. Hoshi is torn between two men -- Trip and Malcolm, causing tension between the them. ~Complete!~ There's some awkward chatting, defeat, and various other things as we come to our end. Enjoy!
1. Chapter One

I don't know why I'm doing this. I have unfinished fics everywhere…The phrase in my head (look at an outburst Reed had at Trip…) just got too much for me to bear.

This is a sequel to "Mutiny Aboard the Enterprise", but you don't have to read that to get the gist of this. I'll drop little summaries around for ya. Or you can just read and review the other fic…

Disclaimer: I don't own Star Trek or _Enterprise. _If I did, I assure you, I'd model a character after myself and have her kidnap Malcolm and Trip as her love slaves. Yeah, that wouldn't make any money, and neither will this story.

Rating: PG-13 because I'm fond of cussing.

*********

                        Hoshi Sato knew the lieutenant was going to sit with her. Don't ask how she knew it, but she could just _feel _that Malcolm Reed was going to talk to her, and it wasn't going to be something she wanted to hear. She stared down at her spaghetti, trying not to notice him; trying to will him to turn to a table where he would read a padd alone. The tightening of her stomach and the loud 'ahem' she heard told her that her luck had simply run dry.

            "May I sit here, Ensign? I need to speak with you." The English accent rang in the linguist's ears, causing her to look up. Indeed, there Reed was, looking stiff and in his most proper form. 

            A meek smile crossed her face as she nodded, gently setting down her fork. Her hands didn't know what to do with themselves and her mind kept straying to their long talks, to those quick, gentle kisses…that hadn't been real. She had to clear her throat as she tried to brush the thoughts aside and actually speak. "Go ahead, Malcolm. I need some company, anyway." The words were immediately scolded within her mind. _Now he'll think that I'm interested in him! Maybe I am, but he can't know that!_

            The armory officer stoically seated him across from Hoshi. It seemed to her that he wanted to get as far away from her as humanly possible, but still just close enough to say whatever he had to say. "Ensign," the word seemed almost embarrassing to even be uttered, "I must apologize for my behavior. Even though I was under alien influence, I had no right to make any advances upon you."

            "Oh, it's…"

            "If you'd please let me finish, Ensign." He snapped, but it looked as though he wanted to take back the harsh tone of voice. His words went back to the indifferent, obviously well practiced speech, "I'm your senior officer. It was completely inappropriate behavior, both as an officer and a gentleman, and I sincerely apologize."

            Hoshi paused for a long moment, making sure that he was completely done, and she wouldn't be cut off once more. During the few seconds, the lieutenant seemed to grow increasingly agitated, as if bracing himself for some loud, screaming outburst. She was incredibly close to giving him what he expected, but wouldn't show that. "It's fine, Malcolm. It was…it was that alien monument. It made everyone do things they never would have done, including me."

            "Thank you, Ensign." Not even the smallest flicker of appreciation shone in his face as he pushed himself from the seat, but it seemed a huge weight had been lifted from him when she didn't smack him or put up an argument. "Now if you would excuse me, I have some work to do in the armory."

            And he left. Just as soon as he had come, he was walking out the mess hall doors. A slight depression came over her, thinking that nothing he had let on in that dream was true. It wasn't as if would work out anyway -- he was her superior. It was the exact same way with Trip. But hell, even Trip might be willing to sneak around for a while… _That's an idiotic idea Hoshi. What if the two of you were caught?_ The thought was buried in her mind, wallowing in her disappointment as she watched Reed leave.

 Glancing over at the place he once sat. Hoshi noticed that in his rush to leave, he had left his padd. Hesitantly reaching over, she picked it up, her eyes scanning the text briefly. 

            _I must apologize… No right to make any advances… Completely inappropriate as an officer and gentleman … Sincerely apologize. _The notes brought a smile to Hoshi's face. It seemed that the apology was harder to say than he had let on. 

*********

            _I made such a bloody ass out of myself_, Reed thought as he exited the mess hall. He punched the button of the turbolift, rubbing his eyes as he thought of the apology. He had spent half the night phrasing it perfectly, and at the time he didn't realize he'd end up sounding like some cold bastard in front of the woman he _thought_ he may be in love with. 

            "Lieutenant!" Hoshi's voice rang behind him. His eyes nearly widened as he turn around. She was going to flog him, wasn't she? After that god awful lecture he just gave her, he wouldn't be surprised. To his shock, she just handed him a padd. "You forgot this. I fixed some of the spelling up for you. I hope you don't mind." 

            "Thank you…" He glanced down, only to find himself staring at the words he had just told her. He could feeling the warmth of a blush rising up his neck as the turbolift doors opened. Finally, he could run away in peace! He had to get away from Hoshi before she saw him acting like a complete buffoon. He turned and was ready to rush into the safety of the doors. 

             When he saw Trip Tucker standing there. A hot rage started to bubble in his blood when he remembered that nothing that went on between him and the commander had actually happened; it had only been some plot to make innocent victims 'remember' a civil war. But still, there were those lingering feelings of hatred towards the engineer. 

            "Hey Hoshi," A coy smile flickered across Trip's lips as he winked at the linguist before glancing towards Malcolm with a look that asked 'what the hell are _you _doing here? "Lieutenant. Both of you getting on?" 

            Hoshi, suddenly gained a deer-in-the-headlights look, began to work her mouth, before stuttering, "Yes…No. No, I'm actually going to walk around to the other turbolift…"

            "It's halfway down the deck!" Reed said, completely shocked that she would go to such great lengths to avoid him -- or maybe Trip. Yes, it had to be the engineer… He took comfort in the thought that perhaps the other man was the cause of her anxiety.

            The Lieutenant stepped into the turbolift, listening to Hoshi mumble something about needing exercise and walking away as fast as she possibly could. "That was very unnecessary, Commander." 

            "Wha'?"

            "Winking at Hoshi." Reed mumbled, the tone nearing a low growl. "It was very unnecessary."

            Trip turned to him, gray-blue eyes staring in utter exasperation. "What the hell are you talkin' about? Me an' Hoshi, we got to know each other real well. I think I can wink at her if I want."

            Malcolm's eyebrow raised as he went over what the engineer had just said. He seemed too cocky -- too satisfied and arrogant with the sentence. _What gives him any right to wink at her?_ The officer thought bitterly. The doors swished open, revealing the deck he wanted and the armory stepped out with not another word. 

As the doors were closing, suddenly the color drained out of his face as a realization struck him. Anger coursed through his veins as he rammed his fist into the control panel of the turbolift, reopening the doors.  "Bloody hell!" he shouted, ramming his hand on the 'stop' button of the 'lift, watching the doors open to a shocked Tucker.

 "You _slept _with her didn't you? You bloody bastard." Reed growled, stalking back into the turbolift. He looked about ready to kill, and at the moment, all of the discipline he had worked so hard to keep was just barely stopping him from murdering the commander right then and there. Trip had done something completely uncalled for to that wonderful linguist. That was something that just couldn't be forgiven.

            The engineer's expression looked like he was just caught with his hand in the cookie jar. "Y-No! No." As soon as it was decided, the answer was resounding. Suddenly, he turned from panicked, to defensive, glaring daggers at the lieutenant. "We were in some dream, livin' out someone else's life. _I _didn't sleep with _her!_" 

            "There I was, apologizing for _talking_ to her. Don't I feel like an ass."

            "Now listen, Malcolm…"

            "Lieutenant."

            Trip rolled his eyes, continuing on. "Now listen, _Lieutenant_. You can't go insultin' me because I was forced to do somethin' against my will. I'm sure you didn't mean to _kill_ me."

            Reed clenched his fists, staring stonily at the engineer. He was right on edge, just barely managing to keep his emotions in check. He couldn't blow up on his superior -- he'd be thrown out of Starfleet at the drop of a hat. "Just like I'm sure you didn't mean to shoot me dead with the phase pistol."

            "See? We're on the same level of thought. Now, why don't you get of the 'lift and fix your phase cannons. I hear they're half a micron off, that's gotta get your pants in a twist." Trip pushed the button once more, the turbolift doors opening as the commander stared impatiently at the lieutenant. Without another word, Reed exited the turbolift. He glared straight ahead and cursed to himself as he walked into the armory. 

Every crewman on duty that day knew they were about to have a very, very long shift.


	2. Chapter Two

In response to Kyra, yep, this is mostly shippage. There might be some action. I'm not completely positive. 

Ever wonder how _Enterprise_ receives distress calls, and know they're distress calls when they don't know the language?

*********

            _He keeps watching me, _Hoshi thought to her self as she tried desperately to work on a message that the _Enterprise_ had just received. Every time she glanced back at Malcolm, he was looking at her. _Maybe that's because you keep looking at _him, _you idiot! _She'd also been insulting herself all morning, so that particular thought had become a common thing. She just couldn't forgive herself for the fact that she wasn't able to get over what she'd only dreamed. Malcolm had already moved on, or so she thought.

            To her complete shock, the universal translator started beeping at her, snapping her from the daze. It took her several seconds to realize that it had completed translating the document. Punching several buttons, she pushed Malcolm from her mind as she started reading it. Only a few sentences into the message, Hoshi's eyes widened. "Captain, the UT has finished translating the transmission."

            "Anything we should know about?"

            "Yes, sir…there's a ship in distress." She stared down at the console, "It wasn't prioritized, or else I would have translated it faster… It'll take at least a day to get to the ship, sir."

            "Send the coordinates over to Mayweather. We'll get there as quickly as possible." Archer smiled weakly over at the female ensign, "Shift's almost over, and there's nothing we can do from this distance. Why don't you and Malcolm go get off a little early, go to dinner -- take a break? Me and Travis can handle everything up here since there's not much going on." Travis looked like he was going to fall out of his chair. It was almost the end of _his _shift too, after all. 

            She knew better than to argue. If she said that Travis should go rather than her, the helmsman would say he didn't need to go, and she'd be trapped anyway. So, she simply followed Reed into the turbolift, spacing herself as far away as possible from him. Hopefully, he wouldn't speak to her.

            Luck was not on her side. "I feel as if I should apologize for something else, Ensign." 

            "What, Ma--Lieutenant? I think you've covered everything." Hoshi responded, completely and utterly confused. He'd already crushed her once, was he going to grind her up even more?

            He looked even more uncomfortable than he did at the mess hall. Well, at least then he had notes to go off of; this time she couldn't see anything that might give him hints. "I saw Commander Tucker wink at you. And I, er, heard about what happened between the two of you…"

            Hoshi wanted to curl up and die. Did he really know the whole story? "…You heard _what_? From who? Did _Trip _tell you?"

            "I…can't tell you that, Ensign. But since I know that he won't apologize, I will in his place. He should never have sle--"

            "That was none of your business! I knew Trip couldn't keep quiet. He's probably told half the crew by now. Damn male egos…"

            Reed glanced down, his hands wringing behind his back. He hadn't looked her in the eye the entire time he was making 'his' apology. "Actually, Ensign. I found out on my own, and confronted the commander."

            That was even worse than she had ever expected. Her eyes turned to stare at Malcolm, remaining silent for several aching moments. She was trying to calm herself -- but after thinking of Reed knowing what happened, of that one-sided conversation in the mess hall that pained her so, and everything else she had been put through recently -- the battle was lost. "So, now you're jealous? You're wondering 'why won't she do that with me?' I bet."

            "No…not at all."

            "Shut up, Malcolm." She barked, too annoyed to stop from continuing the battering of the armory officer. "You know, maybe I should start a business. Just quit being a linguist all together. I can open up "Hoshi's Stress Relief Service" and sleep with all the men on the crew. I'm sure T'Pol would be happy to get all the 'sexual tension' off the ship. Don't worry, Malcolm, you'd be first. Trip already got his turn." 

            "...Hoshi…"

            "_What?_" 

            He had closed the gap between them in a single stride, wrapping his arms around her as his head tilted down to kiss her. It was one of those tender, caring kisses that they had shared in that dream. It wasn't rushed, it wasn't needy; it was just…wonderful. A quiet whimper came from her and she rose to her tiptoes, trying to bring herself closer to him, closer to heaven. 

            And he pushed her away. She stood there, staring at the man with hazy eyes. He was distancing himself as much as possible from the linguist, waiting for the turbolift doors to open. "I'm sorry," he mumbled, not chancing a single glance at her, "I…don't know what to say."

            She wanted to tell him not be sorry, that she wanted him to kiss her. That each time he apologized for his behavior, he chiseled a chunk of her heart away. But she couldn't bring herself to speak. That's when the turbolift doors opened to the mess hall, and he rushed out, and she followed hesitantly behind. The two parted ways, heading towards opposite sides of the room.

*********

            Hoshi had been completely alone while she ate dinner, and Lieutenant Reed hated himself for causing that. He wanted to tell her that he was sorry for bringing up Trip -- but that was all that he'd been doing with her, apologizing. Apologizing for the dream they were trapped in, apologizing for Commander Tucker, apologizing for kissing her… If he said that he was sorry one more time, the linguist would probably beat him right there in the mess hall. 

            So instead of apologizing, he just watched her, hoping that she didn't hate him. He was thinking that, when Trip entered the mess hall. The engineer took a quick glance around before he headed straight towards Hoshi and sat down. That was when Malcolm's interest hit an all time high. His fork was set down, not paying the slightest bit of attention to his food as he watched them.

            She seemed nervous, hesitant around Commander Tucker. Malcolm found himself slowly rising to his feet, making his way towards them. He wasn't going to let that grease monkey make a single advance on Hoshi, not if he could help it. "Commander Tucker, can I speak with you?"

            "I'm busy here, Lieutenant. Me and Hoshi are having a conversation." Annoyance sparked in the engineer's eyes. He knew what Malcolm was up to. 

            "Oh," Hoshi murmured, staring down at her plate, "you can go. I wanted to read over my padd…"

            Reed almost grinned in satisfaction -- but didn't. He glanced at Trip, "See? She wants to be left alone. I'd like to speak with you about the phase cannons…"

            Trip pushed himself up from the table, reluctantly following Reed to a corner of the mess hall. "What the hell do you want, Lieutenant? I was about to keep Hoshi company, something which you _obviously_ weren't doing. What is this about the phase cannons?"

            "You can shove them up your ass for all I care. She _obviously _didn't want company, Commander. I believe she'd appreciate it if she was left alone."

            "How about we ask _her_ that?"

            Malcolm, complying with the suggestion, glanced in the direction of the ensign, only to find that she had disappeared. An angry glance was taken towards Trip, before he walked away without another word. Maybe if he hurried, he could catch Hoshi before she got onto the turbolift and…

            What? Apologize? Kiss her? Confess some imagined love for her? The officer paused, lingering at the doors of the mess hall before exiting. He almost didn't want to check and see if the woman was there. His blue-gray eyes glanced down the corridor, finding no one but himself. With a sigh -- something halfway between relief and disappointment -- he pushed the controls of the 'lift. It looked like he wouldn't get to make any more of an ass of himself today. 


	3. Chapter Three

I don't know how to live up to Sunshine's review. O.o Nope. 

Anyway, the feedback I've gotten generally says, "We want to see more of Trip with Hoshi" so…Here's a chapter with Trip and Hoshi!

*********

            Trip walked down a corridor, tapping a padd in his hands. Hoshi had left it in the mess hall. Apparently, she had been in a rush to leave and Malcolm hadn't stayed around long enough to notice the padd full of alien words lying there Hoshi had sat. He didn't know why he was going to her quarters to do this -- after all, he would always see her when his shift started. There was just something about her quarters, products of that night they dreamed they shared together, which just made him want to go back.

            But he'd have to behave himself. He had to…this time he couldn't blame his actions on being possessed by aliens. The engineer wasn't sure how easy it would be to hide his feelings for Hoshi however. Malcolm saw right through him just because he _winked _at the ensign. _Chances are, she'll take the padd and shut the door. _He thought, doubt coming over him.

            Then, there it was. The door to Hoshi's quarters. It was either turn back now…that option was barely even considered. Trip gently pushed the button, taking a deep breath as he watched the door open with a _swish. _

            His eyes widened for the briefest moment; there she was, in a robe with a her hair down… The air caught in his throat at the sight. The commander shook off the feeling, fighting his body's urges to just sweep the woman off her feet. Instead, he composed himself the best that he could, a grin on his face and padd in hand. 

            "You forgot this at the mess hall. Thought that you might need it." As he spoke, his hand was extended to offer her the item. She reluctantly took the padd, seeming to recoil as her fingers brushed his. 

            "Thanks. I'll talk to you later?"

            Trip gave himself a point for guessing what the ensign was going to do. "Hey, ah, maybe I can come in? You ran off before I got the chance t'talk to you at dinner tonight"

            The reluctant look on her face showed she really didn't want him to enter. And he didn't blame her after what had happened after visiting her quarters the last time…but that wasn't real, couldn't a person be let off for something he was made to do? But then a small nod signaled her answer as she murmured a half-hearted, "Well, okay, I guess..."

            He stepped in, the memories of the quarters rushing back to him. He knew where the pans to make breakfast were, the softness of the sheets on the ensign's bed, the delicate feel of her skin…the thought was shaken from his mind. "So," he began, coughing slightly as the thoughts lingered in his mind, "what's on the padd? Couldn't read a damn word of it."

            "It's from the alien distress call we received. I'm trying to figure out more of the language since, with any luck, there'll be someone to talk to onboard the ship…" Her eyes glimmered as she spoke. _Those gorgeous eyes…_ "It's really an amazing language. Very delicate; it's such a nice change from Klingon. I hope that I get to speak to one of them."

            He loved listening to her talk about her job. It seemed like all the stresses of the day just dropped from her as she spoke of the newest language. He supposed that was how it was when he was around the warp core -- it was just like a piece of him and when he was working with it, it was like being right at home. "I'm sure you'll get to talk to 'em. And you'll have the best damn conversation ever."

            She smiled, finally glancing up to look Trip in the eye. It had to have been the first time since they all had woken up from the alien memories. "I hope you're right."

            He couldn't bear it any longer. The engineer moved forward, slowly bending his head to kiss Hoshi. His arms wrapped around her as he held her close, praying that she wouldn't pull away. He may have said that he was going to act like a gentleman, but in presence of the linguist, it just wasn't possible.

*********

            Hoshi was taken by surprise by Trip's kiss. She had been blissfully talking about an alien language, and suddenly…this. She found herself leaning into it only the slightest amount, but her mind was busy analyzing something else. Trip's kiss was so much different from Malcolm's, it was hungry and feral, rather than that delicate, loving embrace the lieutenant had given her in the turbolift. She suddenly regretted snapping at the man. All the armory officer had tried to do was apologize and make sure that _she _was looked after.

And she also suddenly realized how deep the kiss had gone while she was thinking. Euphoria began to cloud her mind at being so close to Trip, close enough to smell that addictive cologne. But still, she wrenched herself away, stepping back several paces. "I can't do this."

"_Hoshi!" _His blue eyes were pleading as he stared at her in shock, his voice husky and deep.

"You're my superior, Trip. It…it's not allowed." The linguist choked, fighting the feelings that were flooding her consciousness. Every cell in her body was screaming at her to go ahead with the kiss. Go ahead with what would happen later. But, she knew she couldn't.

And it must have shone in her eyes, because Trip's confident demeanor just slipped away. "Hoshi, no one has to know…"

How did she know that he'd be willing to sneak around? She rubbed her eyes in agitation, trying to clear her thoughts through the haze. And, though that fog, the unlikeliest name manage to come though, "Malcolm would know. He knew that we slept together before."

"So he'd just think we actin' odd from that."

"No he wouldn't. He'd know." Why was she bringing up the armory officer now? Why was she using him as an excuse to get _Trip _to stop kissing her? Her thoughts drifted to her kisses with the British officer. She had to swallow before mumbling, "It can't work. We can't do this, Trip…"

The engineer sighed, taking up her hands in his own. The faintest amount of understanding began to glimmer in his eyes, as well as disappointment. "I won't do anythin' you don't want me t'do." He paused, "So, I'll leave."

"Thank you, Trip." Hoshi whispered, reluctantly letting go of his hands. Her fingers still tingled from where they touch his… "I'll talk to you later."

"Yeah, Hoshi. Talk to you later." And he left without another word. 

*********

As Trip stepped out of Hoshi's quarters, he found himself stopping short. He was suddenly staring into the eyes of a very annoyed looking Malcolm Reed. There was an air of pure hatred that could be felt around the officer, even if his face was ridiculously stony. 

"How dare you talk advantage of Hoshi." Reed said, glaring at the engineer. "You used that dream to get her to sleep with you again, didn't you?

"I swear, Malcolm, I was a perfect gentleman." He shouldn't have to defend himself…he could have been in there for any number of reasons.

Apparently, his words had _very _little affect on the other man. "That's what you said after you got pregnant with that Xyrillian's baby. And with that Liana woman you followed around everywhere. And must I mention that you had me following two complete strangers into a basement because you hoped to get laid?"

Trip simply started walking away. He could hear that Malcolm was hot on his trail, but he didn't care. He wouldn't put up with be bashed like that. "_Lieutenant, _why don't you just leave me alone? It's none of your business what I did, or _didn't _do."

"She was in a bloody robe!"

The engineer whirled around, blue eyes glaring daggers. "I didn't do a damn thing. Now, get back to the armory, or back to your own quarters. That ain't a request, either."

Anger seethed from the lieutenant, but his face once again turned stoic and composed. "Yes sir."

Trip watched him walk away with a sigh of relief. So, Hoshi was right. Malcolm would be able to tell if the two of them had slept together again. And if that happened, this Southern boy would be in some bit of trouble -- it was obvious Reed was the jealous type of man.


	4. Chapter Four

You guys are right; Trip isn't the nicest guy in the world. But he'll get back his optimistic self, so long as you don't mind some friction for a bit.

I was looking at this fic, saw it had three chapters and almost fell over. Need to update!

Is anyone else starting to think too many of the guys on _Enterprise _like T'Pol and/or get all salved up by her? Psh. What about poor Hoshi? 

*********

            He was being an ass. Malcolm Reed knew it, but he just couldn't help himself. When he saw Commander Tucker leaving Hoshi's quarters, every nerve in his body was on fire. He knew he had to keep his temper from flaring up so damn often, but whenever he saw Hoshi, that thought was just thrown right out the window. Hoshi _and_ Commander Tucker? That made it _impossible_ to keep his temper in check. It was no wonder that Commander Tucker snapped at him every time they confronted one another, he wasn't very agreeable either. 

            He could only thank the heavens Hoshi hadn't seen him. He could imagine the berating he'd get if the ensign had witnessed him scolding the commander. The armory officer would be down on his knees begging her forgiveness, and he'd done that more than enough in the past few days. 

            He knew that he had absolutely no chance with the ensign. He'd just have to bury any feelings he _thought _he may have. After all, nothing had really happened. It wasn't him that fell in love; it was some poor guy that died centuries ago. The thought should have made it easier to extinguish those feelings, but it didn't. Malcolm could see that the others were having a hard time, too. Every time he got near Hoshi, she seemed uncomfortable and Trip, well, who knows what the hell went on in Trip's brain. Each time T'Pol entered the bridge, he saw Ensign Mayweather wince and occasionally touch his neck. At least Reed knew he wasn't the only one affected.

            "Lieutenant?" 

            Malcolm nearly jerked as Captain Archer's voice shook him from his thoughts. A glance up told him the entire bridge crew was staring at him. He suddenly wondered just how much he had missed while he was lost in thought. "Yes, Captain?"

            "What do your scans of the alien ship show?"

            "I can't scan past the outer hull, sir. I can't tell a thing." 

            The Captain drummed his fingers on the arm of his chair, obviously mulling over the possibilities. "We can't see into or hail the ship. Reed, Sato, -- "

            "Captain," Sub-Commander T'Pol cut in, "I strongly advise against boarding the vessel. They may not wish to have visitors."

            "I'm aware of that, Sub-Commander. I still want you, Lieutenant Reed, Ensign Sato and Commander Tucker over there. Those people may need our help."

            The Vulcan raised a 'brow. "Then I suggest Doctor Phlox also accompany us."

            "If there are wounded, I most certainly will send him. Now, go to the shuttlebay and get this mission underway."

            Lieutenant Reed caught the nervous glance that Hoshi sent him. She suddenly didn't seem to quite know what to do, and the blood appeared to be slowly draining from her face. He pushed her from his mind and focused on the task at hand -- protecting the away team from whatever hostile alien might be on that ship.

*********

            _I'm going to have a heart attack_, Hoshi thought as she slowly started to enter the shuttlepod, universal translator in hand and the two men she wanted to avoid most in the galaxy standing right in front of her. If she managed to not get a nervous breakdown halfway through the away mission, it would be a complete miracle. 

            Now she had to get in that cramped little shuttlepod and go to some alien vessel with two warring men and a seemingly oblivious science officer. It was not, she knew, going to be a fun experience. Trip and Malcolm were already starting to eye each other and it didn't make her any more comfortable knowing that each of them had a phase pistol ready for shooting.

            She knew that they were eyeing each other up, though they dare not say a thing in front of T'Pol. Hoshi's eyes shut as the shuttle left the shuttlebay, praying that everything would go fine. The aliens on the ship would be alive and healthy and she'd be so busy trying to have a conversation with them that she wouldn't even notice Trip and Malcolm. That's what would happen. 

            But things never went her way, did they? Instead of entering a bright, cheery environment once the shuttlepod was docked, the only lights came from sparking conduits and emergency lights. There were also, to both her relief and disappointment, no aliens around. Alive or dead. 

            "I'm reading no lifesigns. But the unusual composition of the ship may be interfering with my scans." T'Pol's voice cut into the eerie silence of the ship. The Ensign somehow doubted that there were any living beings other than themselves aboard the ship.

            "Don't worry," a southern drawl murmured by her ear, "you'll get to talk to someone. Told ya that last night."

            A weak smile was forced upon the linguist's lips. The scent of cologne invaded her senses, making her dizzy and giddy at the same the time. She could barely keep her breathing to stay regular, as shaken up as she had suddenly become. Opening her mouth, she could only muster up enough voice for a quiet, "Thanks, Trip." 

            She was incredibly thankful that Lieutenant Reed was busy jumping ahead of everyone, pointing his phase pistol around every corner, rather than paying the slightest bit of attention to her. If she could only say that much for Commander Tucker. 

            "This ship is a mess. Hoshi, can you figure out where engineerin' is?" The engineer was standing next her once again, making her feel on the verge of passing out.

            "That is where we are going, Commander." The linguist didn't even have a chance to reply, T'Pol had beaten her to the punch. She heard Trip grunt and walk off as he got the response.

            Minutes of walking had lead them into what seemed like a cargo bay, rather than the engineering section of the ship. T'Pol lingered behind the small away team, an eyebrow raised and reading her scanner as she tried to figure out where they had gone wrong. It was just then an explosion rocked that area of the ship. Bulkheads shot out from the walls, plating dropped from the ceiling and fires sprung up all over the corridor.

            Smoke clogged the air. Hoshi couldn't see a single thing beyond a foot or two in front of her. There was debris everywhere and she had lost sight of the rest of the away team. "Sub-Commander?" She called, receiving no response in return, "Commander Tucker? Lieutenant Reed?"

            "Where are you, Ensign? I can't see a bloody thing in this mess. I thought someone said this ship looked structurally sound..." Relief flooded her as she heard Lieutenant Reed's accent coming from somewhere behind her. 

            "Well, I'm sorry, Lieutenant. It's hard make an exact guess when someone's _scans_ can't _scan _a damn thing!" The engineer's voice was tinged with agitation, and that was all Hoshi needed at the moment: two argumentative men. 

            She wouldn't have much time to decide whether she should cower or snap at the two, as a piece of metal flipped off the wall and came directly towards her. The linguist didn't see it coming at her until it was too late. She fell to the deck below, unconsciousness clouding her mind and pain lancing through her skull. _Why can't away missions ever go as planned? _was the last thing Hoshi wondered before she blacked out.


	5. Chapter Five

I decided…hey, let's make the readers suffer by making the story longer.

So now Hoshi is awake.

I'm also trying to show a little more spark between her and Malcolm... She and Trip get too many good scenes.

Was anyone else not a fan of Hoshi's newfound gun tactics? Seems awful sudden that she can shoot things well enough to give people tips...

*********

"Hoshi, wake up." The voice broke into Hoshi's mind. Her head was splitting, and she just couldn't bring herself to open her eyes. With a grunt, she shrugged away from the hand that was gently shaking her shoulder and tried desperately to get back to sleep.

"Hoshi..._wake up_." That voice and the accent to it seemed so familiar… A single eye opened and blinked. Even though her vision was slightly blurry, she could see Lieutenant Reed kneeling over her and Commander Tucker standing a few feet away. 

With a grunt, she forced herself up, giving her head a shake as she tried to clear it. The linguist suddenly remembered the explosion and the piece of metal that came flying at her head. She slowly sat up, glancing around as she did. The entrance to the cargo bay had been completely filled in by rubble and Hoshi's eyes widened as she realized they were trapped. Her mouth could barely form the words as she asked the simple, "What happened?" 

The two men both breathed an audible sigh of relief when she seemed fine. Malcolm helped her up as he answered her question, "There was an explosion, and we're, well, trapped. A piece of debris hit you and you've been out for a good fifteen minutes..."

Panic mounted in Hoshi's mind. They couldn't be _trapped. _It was impossible -- surely the two could find some way out! "There has to be…there has to be some way to get out of here. There has to be..."

"He's right Hoshi. The two of us looked everywhere, and we neither of us could find another exit. Not a door, a conduit, nothin'. We're stuck here." The ensign could feel the color draining from her face as Trip spoke. He couldn't get her out of here, an engineer. She could feel the walls closing in her on her with each reply.

"Can't you use the phase pistols? I'm sure they could blast through…"

"We'd be risking another collapse. For all we know, that debris is all that's keeping this section of the ship up. Not to mention that the metals could be explosive or hell, phase pistols may not even shoot through 'em." The engineer looked increasingly annoyed as he, too, found the situation looking more and more hopeless.

Hoshi stood up, breaking away from Reed as quickly as she could. She had hardly even noticed that his hand had stayed at her shoulder as he tried to comfort her -- and she didn't see the hurt expression he briefly displayed as she roughly shook it away from her in her haste to get away.

She had to get as far away from the two as possible. She couldn't let them see her break down after she'd been doing so well getting over her fears. Now that they were trapped, it seemed like a good time to crawl into a hole and die. That may actually happen in a week or so if they weren't found… She shook her head violently as she tried to dismiss the idea. 

The linguist found herself sitting down in a corner of the cargo bay, behind a large container, just rocking back and forth. She knew that she could get over this. Malcolm and Trip were doing fine, why couldn't she? She'd faced her claustrophobia when she'd crawled all through Enterprise...she could do it now, right? She was trapped with the two men the wanted most to avoid, on an alien vessel that could implode at minute, with little hope of rescue...oh yes, she _should _be able to get over her fears without much problem.

"Ensign?" 

Her head snapped up to find Malcolm standing in front of her. She'd hadn't even heard him coming. Her eyes clenched shut as she murmured, "I'm not in the mood to talk, Lieutenant."

"Hoshi, are you feeling well?" She could hear the worry tingeing his voice

The answer to his question was so obvious, the linguist could almost laugh. She couldn't let _him _know that, though. A weak smile was forced upon her face, "I have a headache."

For a moment, Hoshi thought he actually was going to take her answer and leave. She realized a few seconds later that he wasn't. There was an uncomfortable cough as he cleared his throat, then she heard that accent once more, "We're going to get out of here."

Her eyes snapped open. She didn't want to get into this with the armory officer. She knew that she'd tell him exactly how she felt. "I don't want to talk about it."

"You're going to be fine, Hoshi."

"How can you say that?" The words suddenly shot from her mouth, her tone expressing the sheer panic she felt, "We're _trapped_, and you say I'm going to be fine? I can already see _you're _fine and dandy about this. But I'm not like you, I'm supposed to be translating for friendly aliens, not wondering when I'm going to starve to death or when the ceiling is going to collapse." 

He fidgeted under her gaze, murmuring his reply, "We're not going to starve to death. We're going to get out of here."

"T'Pol could be dead. Enterprise doesn't know where we are; they can't even scan the ship! There's no food, probably a limit amount of air, and for all we know, headhunting aliens are watching us from the bulkheads! And you're telling me --"

His hand was around hers. The ensign stared in shock, the words dying on her lips as the hysteria faded. That wasn't like Malcolm Reed. He wasn't a comforting person who'd _hold someone's hand _when he knew they were in trouble. This was special, more wonderful than she could describe. Her heart fluttered as he gently squeezed her hand and she found herself inching closer, trying to find a place in his arms.

She did. Her head rested against his chest as she curled up next to him, feeling herself calm more each second she was close to him. His hand remained closed around hers, one arm wrapping around her and gently toying with her hair. 

Each moment Hoshi spent close to him, she felt safer; even though she had the exact same dilemma she had mere minutes ago. Somehow, though, being so close to Malcolm, breathing his scent, feeling his warmth made her feel as if everything was fine. Being close to him changed everything. She glanced up, trying to get even closer as she quietly confessed, "I'm scared, Malcolm."

"So am I, Hoshi. But everything's going to be fine. I promise." He whispered as his lips brushed against her forehead. She knew he meant it. She knew the officer wasn't like this for anyone and she knew that this was a rare and special occasion. This may never happen again.

The thought broke her heart.

((Hopefully not corny. I thought it was kind of cute...))


	6. Chapter Six

The last chapter got me all riled up. Had to write...

I hope I'm not showing a completely uncharacteristic side of Malcolm. He seems to have a less pessimistic side, so why not a rarely seen romantic and cuddly side?

Also, I hope the verbal bashing is decent. It seemed slightly reminiscent of Shuttlepod One. Maybe a little louder...

*********

Hoshi was in his arms. Malcolm could hardly believe the woman was actually in his arms.

He knew that they couldn't remain like this. Every ounce of discipline told him to let her go, but his arms simply wouldn't comply. Instead the armory officer remained there, breathing in the strawberry scent of her hair and reveling in her touch. The feeling he had been trying so hard to suppress kept welling up inside him, making it impossible for him to release her from his grasp. 

Hoshi was in _his _arms. Not Trip's, _his. _And right now, it was _him, _making her feel safe and calm. When she had gotten close to him, her panic seemed to cease and her frightened quivering had gradually stopped. And he was the one that had done it. He wanted to keep her in his embrace, protected from all harm, forever.

"Malcolm! Hoshi! You two okay over there?" Trip's voice broke into Malcolm's thoughts. A curse echoed through the man's mind as the engineer's words caused Hoshi to stir and begin to move away. He felt strangely empty without her there. 

"We're fine, Commander," the armory officer grumbled, "I'll be there momentarily..."

His hand slowly released Hoshi's as he stood up, composing himself as he did so. He stepped away from the linguist, even though every nerve in his body was screaming at him to go back to her. As settled as he could bring himself to be after such a moment, the armory officer went to Trip's side.

"I can't find a single damn exit. You'd think someone would have an air duct or _something _entering into a cargo bay!" Trip complained to the man next to him. The engineer was obviously annoyed that he couldn't find a single way out of the place that didn't have the risk of decompressing the entire section.

The comment struck a nerve with Reed. "And if we did find an air duct what would we do? Send Hoshi through it again?"

"We could. She's done it before."

"You realize she hates that, don't you?" He wasn't sure if it was the time he spent near Hoshi or his already angered feelings towards the engineer, but Malcolm suddenly found himself quite displeased. "We've already done that to her, she's done enough!"

Trip's eyes turned towards him, a 'brow raised in question. "If she had to do it, I'm sure she would."

The two hardly noticed Hoshi walking from behind the containers, a sickly color having returned to her cheeks. Her quiet words went unheard, "I...I don't feel well…"

"So we're just going to send her crawling through ships at every occasion? Who knows what dangers she could run into on an alien ship! Someone could still be alive in here, and murderous!" 

"Would you rather die in this cargo bay or have Hoshi try to save all of us?"

A quiet murmur came from the linguist, trying to reach to the two men. An inaudible whimper of help was issued as she held her pounding head. She stumbled, before toppling to the ground.

With a cry of 'Hoshi!', the two men suddenly remembered that the ensign was, in fact, in the cargo bay with them, rushing to her side only to find her unconscious. They did their best to make her comfortable, finding a moment of peace between their arguments. 

Of course, that tranquility was incredibly short lived. Malcolm blamed himself for not being there for Hoshi -- and blamed Trip for taking his attention away. Now she wasn't even conscious, all because he wasn't there. "She's going to die."

"Well, isn't that a change from Malcolm-the-Optimist I heard with Hoshi."

The comment momentarily confused Reed. "You were listening in on our conversation?"

"A man can't be curious?" The engineer retorted. Both voices were escalating in volume, even in the presence of the downed ensign. "Hoshi just so happens to be my friend, y'know."

"You had no right to eavesdrop, Commander." The armory officer's fists clenched as he tried to restrain himself.

The other man just chuckled. "Well, what I heard _was _surprising, Lieutenant. You really think we'll get out of here alive?"

Malcolm's jaw set in place to stop him from grinding his teeth. He didn't want to talk about this. Death always was the topic that was brought up in these situations. Though he _had _technically brought the subject up... His eyes shot to the ground, "Truthfully? I don't."

"So you lied to Hoshi. So big of you, Malcolm."

_Maybe I actually thought we'd get out. _Hoshi managed to change his pessimistic thoughts, if only for a brief moment. He'd actually thought anything was possible when he was near her. Hell, he even thought that she might actually say 'yes' if he asked her dinner one night. _That _wasn't going to happen, and he highly doubted the possibility of getting off of this ship alive.

"No comment?" Trip stated when the lieutenant didn't speak. "Seems like you, anyway. It's like you have a death wish, Malcolm. No one's ever going to make it out of a situation alive. I bet you already have Hoshi's epitaph all planned out…"

"I do not!"

"...Hoshi was a fine officer, a little skittish, though. Too bad she wasn't good enough to survive…but then again, I didn't survive, either..."

"Shut your bloody mouth, Commander!"

"It's true, isn't it?" The engineer snapped, blue eyes glaring at the other man. "You plot your death every time you get in a bind! Now Hoshi's your victim, too!"

The officer was doing everything in his power to keep himself from wrapping his fingers around Commander Tucker's neck. How _dare _he think he was turning Hoshi into a 'victim'. "She could have a concussion, a blood clot, internal injuries. She could very possibly die."

"There you go again. You must _want _her to die!"

"Why would I want the woman I love to die, Commander?"

Trip's mouth opened to retort, before the words actually sunk into his brain. A moment passed of silent musings, making Malcolm regret his slip. "You love Hoshi?"

The armory officer didn't know what to say. He was fairly sure he did, but he didn't want to know that. It was too late now, though, he'd already slipped his secret because he wasn't thinking. "Yes, sir."

"Good God."

If Trip was going to say anything else, he didn't get the chance. The deck beneath the two men rocked and explosions could be heard all around them. Once again, the metal on the walls seemed to come straight off various bulkheads. The ship thrashed violent, tossing the people in the cargo bay like rag dolls.

"Keep Hoshi safe, Malcolm. I'll be fine." It was probably the nicest thing Trip Tucker had said to Reed all week. And the best statement the engineer had ever uttered.

Malcolm did was he was told. He once again gathered the ensign up in his arms, hunching over her body as the sky seemed to plummet down. Smoke and debris filled the air, but even as bulkheads fell to either side of him, he knew that even if they didn't made it out alive, he had done him damnedest to keep Hoshi safe. It was now his _mission _to keep protected until the very end.

"I love you, Hoshi." He murmured, just before it seemed the world came tumbling down upon him...

((I think we're closing in on the end. I only have two or three more chapters to go, unless I come up with something to keep it going.))


	7. Chapter Seven

Sorry this is taking me so long. O.o I need to be the 'mood' to write and I had problems finding a way to write out this chapter so it would seem in character. Still not sure it is.

If anyone watches Babylon 5, you might recognize a part of this. The dialogue was so firmly imbedded in my brain I had to use it. I'm so unoriginal.

*********

            _I love you, Hoshi._

The linguist remembered those words as her eyes slowly opened. It took her a moment to realize where she was, and when she did, she had to double check to make sure she was indeed in sickbay. The last thing she remembered was being on that alien ship and... 

            Well, being in sickbay was much more likely than what had happened on that ship.

            "Ah! Ensign Sato! You're awake! Good, good..." Doctor Phlox appeared over her, scanning device in hand. 

            Struggling to sit up and clear her head, she glanced around sickbay to make sure it was _really _there. Memories of the ship continued to flood back to her. "What happened? Are Malcolm and Trip okay?"

            "Lieutenant Reed is not in his best condition." Phlox replied, glancing at the various readings. "You and Commander Tucker seemed to have escaped relatively unscathed."

            "Aside from one hell of a headache..." The engineer's southern drawl turned Hoshi's attention away from the doctor. He was standing there, looking as healthy as could be. 

            The Doctor lingered for a moment, peering at the readouts above her head once more before nodding approvingly. "You seem to be in fine health, Ensign. I'll be feeding my animals, so call if you need me."

            Trip moved over to Hoshi, his eyes straying to wear Malcolm lay, still unconscious. "How ya feelin', Hoshi?" 

            "Like a bulldozer hit me," she sighed, "But imagine how Malcolm feels. Here I am, complaining, and he's unconscious..."

            "It's not your fault he wanted to save your life, Hoshi. He did what he thought was best."

            The linguist stared blankly ahead of her, trying to piece together all the events. There was the strong memory of that 'I love you' ringing in her mind, but she couldn't accept who she knew within her soul had said it. A distant laugh came from her as she shook her head, "I was thinking the most absurd things, Trip. You wouldn't believe."

            "I bet I could."

            "I thought that I was dead. I honestly thought I was dead, and God was talking to me." she chuckled at the irony of it all, "And he really had that British accent like in those biblical movies they sometimes show on movie night. You know what he said? 'I love you.' I was just thinking...'there really is a God, after all. And he actually loves me.' But you know what?"

            At the sight of the tears glimmering in her eyes, the engineer took a hold of her hand, smiling weakly. "What?"

            "It was Malcolm telling me that he loved me, wasn't it? Not some supernatural deity, but _Enterprise's _armory officer."

            Trip's silence was her answer. She knew then that she was right. The truth that she'd been trying so hard to turn into a lie was real.

            "And now he might die, all because he loved me and wanted to be some hero." Her tear filled eyes turned to Trip, pain lancing her words. "He was such an idiot."

            The engineer found himself at a loss of words. He gripped both of her hands as tightly as he could, his voice low and comforting, "If I've learned anything about Malcolm, he sure as hell doesn't die easily. He won't give up, Hoshi. As pessimistic as that Brit can be, he doesn't give up."

            He leaned forward to lay a kiss on her forehead before pulling back, smiling weakly. "I'm gonna go, okay? I have to do go to engineerin' for a while. I'll check on you later."

            "Bye, Trip… Thanks for listening to me ramble."

            "Anytime, Hosh. Anytime."

            She watched the doors close behind him and she sunk back down into the medical bed, eyes closed as she tried to sort through the chaos in her mind.

*********

            It felt like a house had fallen on him. Every inch of Malcolm Reed's body was sore and it took all of his will just to open his eyes and force them to focus. It was obvious that he was in sickbay and all the lights had been dimmed. It appeared he had woken up sometime at night.

            His eyes searched the room for Phlox, finding no trace of the Denobulan in sight. Perhaps he was in another room... The officer was just struggling to get up when he saw a form wrapped up in a blanket and curled in a chair near his medical bed.

            "Hoshi?" He whispered, staring in awe as he realized that it was indeed the linguist. A soft groan issued from the sleeping woman.

            "It is indeed Ensign Sato," The quieted voice of Doctor Phlox made Reed turn from the sight, shocked that the man could appear so quickly. "She's been coming to sickbay for the past two days, watching you. The only reason she ever leaves is to do her shift. That's quite a friend you have there, Lieutenant."

            Malcolm could only stare in awe, his mouth opening and closing as he tried to speak. "What...What happened, Doctor?"

            "Captain Archer managed to retrieve the away team, obviously."

            "Very enlightening, Doctor." 

            "I believe you're stable for now, and since you're conscious, I suppose it would be quite good for you to go the mess hall." He continued, eyebrows raising it what seemed like amusement, "I'm sure Ensign Sato would be more than happy to accompany you."

            The armory officer swallowed, staring at Hoshi as Phlox went off to do whatever he did once more. He slowly inched off the medical bed, gently laying his hand on her shoulder. "Hoshi? Wake up..."

            "What time is it?" The woman groaned, eyes slowly opening at first, then rapidly widening as she saw who was standing over her. "Are you okay? Are you feeling alright?"

            "Just a little sore, but no real problems..." He lied, smiling down at her. "Doctor Phlox wanted me to go to the mess hall. Care to join me, Ensign?"

            He wasn't sure if that was happiness or complete shock, or perhaps a mix of both, that went across her face. She stared, still wide-eyed, for a moment, before replying with a simple, "Okay."

            He walked towards the door, the linguist walking just behind him. He remembered all too well what had happened on that alien vessel and he knew that the two of them had a lot to talk about...

((Hmm...I have a fair amount of satisfaction with this chapter. I always worry that these things are so horribly out of character, tell me if they are, yes? 

One more chapter to go with this...Let's all hope I get to it soon.))


	8. Chapter Eight

You know, sometimes I sit and wonder (because I have no life) if the Linguistics Database (I'm too scared to post there, so I just make visits when the whim strikes me...) uses my stories for challenges...So far they've had a 'Time travel fic where old Hoshi and young Hoshi meet' and 'Cave-in, claustrophobia, an admission of love'… Both of which I've done, apparently because I have a mental connection with that site...

Okay, don't mind me, I'm just ranting and rambling, like I normally do...Pay no attention at all...

And people, **review! **We love all reviews, big and little. Satisfy my competitive nature. Pwease?

Terribly sorry, Karone. He's ceded defeat, I'm afraid. 

*********

            Hoshi didn't know what to do. An uncomfortable silence hung around her and Reed as the walked from sickbay to the mess hall. Was she supposed to make pleasant conversation? Let him do all the talking? She could just imagine that topic that would pop up within seconds:

            _"Hey, did you mean it when you said you loved me?"_

_            "...I apologize, Ensign. I really had no right telling you that. I'm terribly sorry."_

She knew her luck would have things go in that direction. It was only _her _luck that would get her stuck on an alien ship that was literally falling apart at the seams with two brawling men and _then _get shot down by the guy she cared about. It was the exact same luck that had her running into dead aliens, being forced to crawl through the bowels of the ship and have problems while using that damned transporter. The universe was against her...

            ...But maybe not _entirely_. The mess hall was completely empty when the two walked through the doors. She couldn't have been more thankful. No one was there to see whatever horrible events she could feel were going to happen.

            "Do you want to find a table, Ensign? I'll find us something to eat." _He's back to using formal terms..._she thought as he spoke, cursing in half a dozen various languages.

            Instead of saying those curses out loud, however, she simply nodded, sitting down at some random table after 'careful' consideration of her options. It wasn't as if there was someone else in the mess hall to tell her that her seat was taken...

            "Pecan pie. I'm beginning to think Commander Tucker is bribing Chef." The armory officer slid a plate to the ensign, taking a seat across from her as he did. The situation seemed oddly familiar. 

            Hoshi was still at a complete loss for words. She was a _communications officer_, damn it, why couldn't she find a single thing to say? "So..."

            "So." Malcolm coughed, jabbing at the pie in front of him uncomfortably. "Did anyone ever tell you how they got us off that ship?"

            "Supposedly T'Pol managed to contact the ship and get some help. I have no idea how they got into that cargo bay, though." She stared at the table, chewing on her lip nervously, "I wasn't really paying that close attention. You should probably ask Trip, not me."

            "I'll be sure to."

            ...And after that, silence. That couldn't possibly be the biggest conversation the two of them could have. She had to come with some topic, and certainly start it with a word better than "So." 

            The armory officer cleared his throat again, glancing up from his now dilapidated pecan pie for a moment. "I meant what I said on that ship."

            Hoshi could feel a faint coming on. "...W-what?"

            "I was quite frightened."

            "Oh." She had to force the disappointment from her voice. What a wonderful confession that was, considering she was a shaking, quivering little mess at around that time and he was the picture perfect little officer...but all that came from her mouth was, "So was I, Malcolm."

            "You don't understand." He brushed his hand through his hair, pushing the plate aside as spoke, "It wasn't because of being trapped on that ship. Nothing is going to ever frighten me as much as being stuck in a shuttle with Commander Tucker. You see...well, it was because you were there, that I was frightened."

            ...It seemed she'd jumped conclusions. "What exactly do you mean by that, um, Lieutenant?" 

            "I'm absolutely _horrible _in relationships, but for what seems like ages now, I've adored you, " Hoshi's heart skipped a beat, "and there you were, in my arms. I didn't know what to do, hell, I _still _don't know what to do. I was scared because, well, I...bloody hell, how can I tell you this?"

            _You already have. You just thought I couldn't hear you. _"You love me?"

            The shock in his face was all she needed to see in order to know she'd hit the nail on the head. "I know it's inappropriate. I'm your superior officer, and it's strictly forbidden. But I understand completely if my feelings aren't returned..."

            "But I do," She paused, trying to get sort through the mess this conversation had made out of her mind, "At least, I _think _I do."

            That was one of the few times she had seen Malcolm Reed actually smile. Even though it disappeared within milliseconds, she knew it had been there. "But there's the fact that fraternizing with subordinates is against protocol..."

            "I could get promoted, or you could get demoted."

            "I am _not _going to be demoted in the near future. Commander Tucker has more of a chance at that."

            "One these days you're going to get trigger happy and blow up the wrong ship."

            "I think no--"

            Hoshi coughed, grinning just a little as she interrupted him, "Don't worry, Malcolm. It's probably going to be a long mission, and rules are going to be bent out of proportion. But, for now, we'll just keep low-profile, okay?"  

            "That sounds fine to me, En…Hoshi." He took a glance at his discarded pecan pie and reluctantly pushed his seat back. "Doctor Phlox is probably wondering where I went to. Would you mind if I took you to this week's movie after your shift is over?"

            Hoshi smiled, feeling about as giddy as the schoolgirl she used to be. "It's a date."

            He stood up, laying a kiss on her lips before walking from the mess hall. Just as he the doors were closing she heard him call out, "And maybe I'll get to stop off at 'Hoshi's Stress Relief Service'."

            His words were answered by a fork clanging against the closed doors.

********

            "So, where's Hoshi?" Malcolm looked up from his dinner to find Trip Tucker 

            "She hasn't gotten off her shift yet," he replied, pausing for a time before raising a 'brow, "And speaking of her, why _did_ you back off, Trip?"

            The engineer sat down, an amused expression playing across his features. "A man doesn't mess with love, Malcolm. I've learned that by now."

            "You know you could have won her over."

            "Hell no." Trip chuckled, shaking head as he swallowed a mouthful of mashed potatoes. "I could see the way she looked at you. I'm not an idiot, y'know. Try as I might, she still liked ya. I must admit, the idea you loved her came as quite a surprise."

            "And why is that?"

            The other man looked like the answer was completely obvious. "You toasted to T'Pol's butt in the shuttlepod, remember?"

            The armory officer could feel his cheeks growing hot. He'd nearly forgotten about that...and he'd _just _managed to push 'Stinky' out of his mind... "You seemed so incredulous about T'Pol, I had no reason to think you'd toast to Hoshi's bum."

            "_That _would be somethin' I'd very willingly toast to. Or maybe her chest..."

            "I'd suggest you shut your mouth, Commander." He chuckled, staring at the engineer as he shook his head in disbelief. "You admitted defeat, remember?"

            Trip seemed to consider this for a moment, "I bet I could win her over if I tried. Nothin' beats good ol' southern charm, after all."

            "I'd watch your back if I were you, Commander. I have a phase pistol, and I am _not_ afraid to shoot you with it." Both men chuckled, continuing to bash each other with snide remarks as they both ate. It looked like nothing at all had gotten between the two in the not-so-distant past. 

((...And we are done. A little corny, but it closes things up nicely.

 I really don't think I can make a third one in this series, so unless a stroke of _genius_ strikes me, we are completely finished! Be proud, oh so proud.

Probably so horribly out of character...but I don't know what these people would act like if they liked someone...

Hope you liked, **review**, and I'll now get to writing on my various other incomplete fics...))


End file.
